Twins at White Sox
One might understand the reluctance of the Minnesota Twins to pack a suitcase considering they have just three road wins to their credit and a fruitless seven-game stretch still fresh in their minds. The Twins (10-16) look to change the narrative as they begin a 10-game trek on Thursday with the opener of a four-game series versus the Chicago White Sox (8-20).
Eddie Rosario homered in his second straight game on Wednesday as Minnesota posted just its second win in 13 outings with a 4-0 victory over Toronto. The 26-year-old went 5-for-12 with four RBIs in the series to improve to 9-for-25 with six RBIs and six runs scored in his last six outings. Like the Twins, the White Sox aren't singing any tunes on the road as they ended what started as a promising seven-game trek with back-to-back 3-2 setbacks in St. Louis to extend their losing streak to four games. Yolmer Sanchez recorded his sixth multi-hit performance in his last 13 outings for Chicago, which has dropped 13 of 17 to fall a season-high 12 games under .500.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS North (Minnesota), CS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jake Odorizzi (2-2, 3.94 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Reynaldo Lopez (0-2, 1.78)
Odorizzi rebounded from a pair of turbulent outings to even his record on Saturday after allowing one run on five hits in six innings of a 3-1 triumph over Cincinnati. The 28-year-old emerged victorious despite serving up a solo homer to Scott Schebler in the first inning, marking the sixth time he's been taken deep in his last three outings. Avisail Garcia is the lone member of the White Sox to belt a homer off Odorizzi, with the right-hander limiting the current roster to just a 6-for-28 performance at the plate.
Lopez was able to walk away with his second straight no-decision on Friday after allowing season highs in both runs (four) and hits (10) at Kansas City. The 24-year-old Dominican can take a positive from that encounter as he did not walk a batter after issuing 13 free passes in his previous three outings. Lopez has yet to face Minnesota in his career, but Logan Morrison has a homer among two hits in three at-bats versus right-hander.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer registered his 2,000th career hit in a 4-0 triumph over Chicago on April 12, although the final three contests of the four-game series were postponed due to inclement weather.
2. The White Sox are 3-9 in one-run contests heading into Thursday's opener of a six-game homestand.
3. Twins CF Byron Buxton will join the team on the upcoming trek, but he has yet to be cleared after being placed on the disabled list with migraine headaches.